“How to Save a Life”—The Fray

For a brief moment in 2000, At the Drive-In were the best live band in the world—then they broke up. This week, Rob tracks how the El Paso post-hardcore outfit burned so bright so quickly with their complex, politically-charged tunes that made for some of the wildest shows in rock. The band then suddenly flamed out after it became clear that their intensity wasn’t sustainable when they struggled to contain an unruly, “sheep”-like crowd at Big Day Out. Later, Rob is joined by journalist Suzy Exposito to discuss the herculean task of covering “One-Armed Scissor” and the politics of the pit.

Pack up your winter gear—we’re headed to the Wisconsin woods. This week, Rob retreats into Justin Vernon’s cabin to remember the buzzy indie album ‘For Emma, Forever Ago,’ which launched the career of the eventual Grammy-winning band Bon Iver. He looks back on how critics and audiences were enamored with the narrative that Vernon wrote the album while heartbroken and alone in the woods, and the way his voice conveyed those feelings. Later, Rob’s joined by The New York Times’ Jon Caramanica to discuss if “Skinny Love” possibly led to “stomp-clap” music and what collaborators like Kanye West and Taylor Swift heard in Bon Iver.

Are bad lyrics good lyrics? That’s the question Rob posits as he tackles the Black Eyed Peas, who may have mastered the art of good-bad songwriting. He looks back on how the Peas jumped from hip-hop to pop after they added Fergie to their crew, until they ultimately hit dance music in 2009—but they maintained their goofy sensibility the whole way. Later, Rob’s joined by columnist Leslie Gray Streeter to discuss the merits of “My Humps” and why “I Gotta Feeling” has come to represent the Obamacore era.

She sings both kinds of music—country and Western—and you better be grateful for it. Lee Ann Womack followed in the footsteps of icons like Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn, and Tammy Wynette, but she took even greater inspiration from male country stars like George Jones. After making a name for herself with her captivating tunes, Womack reckoned with love and faith on the beautiful—and melancholy?—"I Hope You Dance," which became a crossover hit and Womack's signature song. Rob is joined by music journalist Marissa R. Moss, who discusses what Womack faced as a woman in country music during the late '90s and 2000s and the selflessness it takes to write a love song to someone who is leaving your life.

It’s been [redacted] years since our last mailbag episode, and Rob is finally back to answer all your burning questions about the ’90s, 2000s, and more. He’s joined by Bandsplain’s Yasi Salek to discuss everything from Jason Mraz to Weird Al to chain restaurants. Tune in to hear their responses to your queries (as well as Yasi’s plea for a Fuel episode).